Alfred newton hamkick



A. N. HAMHICK.

TRACTOR. y .wrucmmn summum. 191e.

1,309,684, Patented J uly 15, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHLET 2.

@OOO OOO 00 ooo 3 abran u:

ALFRED NEWTON HAMRICK, 0F CRAWFORD, KANSAS.

TRACTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 5, 1919.

Application filed December 12. 1918. Serial No. 266,447.

To all `liv/'tom i 'may concern.:

Be it known that l', Anuman N. Hamelen, a citizen oit' the United States, residing at Crawford, in the county of Rice and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gearing for tractors, and more especiall f to frictional gearing; and the object of the invention is to produce an improved tractor liossessing means for driving it along a roadwa at the desired speed, for steering it from t se driv ing mechanism, and tor cutting out the driying or propelling mechanism and cutting in a jack shaft from which power can be led to a suitable niet-huw.,` as when the tractor is at rest.

A. feature of the present invention lies in the provision of means whereby power is lcd from the engine to a pair of separate driving axles simultaneously7 with controls between the power and the axles so that the machine may be steered. It is even possible to let one 4driving wheel remain idle or rotate it reversely so that the machine may be tui-ned in very small space. This feature of the invention avoids thc necessity for using a movable front axle or movzihhA steering wl ieel s.

Another feature ot' the invention lies in driving the iiuuliine by moans ot chain;` led i nor the engine E and its`- tank T.

at eac-h side around a rear wheel and the forward wheel so that the grip on the road is amplified and the effectiveness ot the tractor as such is increased; andy this feature is rendered possible by the omission ot' mechanism for turning or deflccting the front Wheels in the act of steering.

Another feature of the invention is the peculiar mechanism employed -t'or vcutting out the driving mechanism and cuttingn` in the power shaft or jack shaft, or the reverse, while still having it 'possible to drive 'hoth shafts when desired.

The details ai'e'set forth in the following spccilication and claimsv and attention is in.-

vited to the drawings, wherein.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this machine complete,

Fig. E2 is a front elevation and Fig. 3 is a plan View.

We are not concerned with the details of construction of the frame F and its seat S, The main shaft or crank shaft l ci the engine stands transversely to the machine and by preference carries two fly Wheels 2. Outside of each is a spring-actuated clutch 3 controlled by a hell crank lever 4 connected to a hand lever 5, and there are two of these hand levers within the reach of the driver sitting on the seat.

The clutch establishes connection between the main shaft and a friction disk (i mounted loosely on the end thereof, and contacting with the outer 'face of this disk is a fl iction policy 7 which capable of heilig adjusted alongy a horizontal line across the center oi the disk by means of another hand level' 8 connected by link mechanism 9 with the hub of the pulley, and of these hand levers there are obviously two in reach ofa driver on the seat. As is wel] known, when the pulley stands at the center of the disk, the rotation of the latter is not communicated :it all to the pulley: but as the pulley is moved from the center in one direction or the other it is rotated faster and faster and in one direction or the reverse according to that sido of the center on which it stands. I am describing but one side of the machine, and the other side is similar.

Mounted in lfiearings l0 on thc frame F is a long; power shaft 1l having a feather 12 along which the huh ot the pulley 7 slides, und at theI rear ond of cach shaft is a worm 13 engaging a worin wheel i4 which is fastened on a stuli axle l5 hearing one of the roar wheels iti. The front wheels 17 are of similar size and similar mounting, and each is connected with its rear wheel by a caterpillar chain 1S thc lower stretch of which is hold on thc ground at appropriate points by idle wheels 19 so that the gripping action of the links ol' the chain is enhanced.

As thus tar dcscril'ivd. when the engine is ystarted and hoth clutches closed, both disks rotate at thesame speed` and now when the friction pulleys are se! at corresponding points on their respective disks,y hoth main sha fts rotate and the worms drive hoth rear wheels at equal speed., Therefore, the machine progresses forward ove'i the ground. The speed of movement may be reduced hy adjusting the pulleys nearer to the .centers of the disks. When they are set at the centers their motion ceases. When `theyare advanced beyond or forward ofthe centers, they are rotated in .the opposite `direction andthe direction of the movement ot the machine is reversed at law speed; and

b v moving the pulleys vet farther forward their reverse drive is increased as is well known in friction drive machines of this character. Furthermore, it is obvious that by increasing the speed of the left-hand shaft 11 and the lcftfhand main wheel, this side of the machine will travel forward more'rapidly thun the other side. and there fore the tractor may be turned around a corner. 1t is quite possible to drive one side of tht*l machine forward and the other side rearward so that turning in a very small space is effected. Under any conditions, however, movement of one rear wheel is communicated to its corresponding front wheel 17 by the traction or caterpillar chain 18, and therefore the surface engaging the roadway or the earth is considerable.

In appropriate bearings 20 at the front of the fr'ame is mounted a jack shaft 21 feathered at 21 for receiving a pulir)y Z2 from which a belt` may lead `to a suitable piece of machinery. and each end of the shaft is geared as at` 23 to onc end of one ot the power shafts 1t. The gcaring conuccts with a shaft section 24 which is comicced with the bod of thc power sha tt by a clutch 25, or in other words a clutch is inscrtcd within the power shaft lil-tween thc driving pulleys 7 and the hcvel gearing :33. The two clutches are actuated b v a lcvcr '.ti and a suitablefconnecting rod 27. ln similar mnner two clutches 28 are inserted between the driving pulleys 7 and worms 1l at the rear ends of the power shafts. and thcsc clutches are actuated sinniltanermsl)r by the lever 29. Then the tractor has rcachcd the point. where it is to bc used as a powcr unit. the clutches 2B arc opened and thc clutches` 25 closed. Thereafter either friction disk and its pulley may bc employed, or both. hut when both are employed they must lic. driven at the saule speed. Tinl power shafts communir-atc motion through the gearing '.l to

the jack shaft, and from the pulley 22 on the latter iowcr can iw lcd to any mat-lime which is to be driven. The fact that the pulley` is mounted on a feather on the jack shaft permits it to be adjusted at any point in the length of said shaft so as to be opposite the work on the machine it is driving.

iVhcn the tractor is to lic driven over the ground, the clutches 25 are opened and the clutches S closed and thereafter power conv niunicatcd from the engine through the frictitin gearing is applied to thc rear ortions of the power shafts. and by them to t e driving wheels in a manner already described, whereas the front portions or sections 24 of said shafts stand idle. In other words, at this time the rear wheels are separately driven and may be dri von at ditfercnt speeds as explained above, and therefore the invention provides for steering the tractor when it is on the road or in the field without the necessitv for the usc ol` a separate steering mechanism,

The foregoingr description and :ufconr pan. ing drawings have `rcfcrcncc to what niiflit be considered thc preferred or ap- 'irovcd form of my invention. l dcsirc it to )e understood that l may malol changes in the construction. combination. and arrange` ment of parts, materials. dimensions` et cetera. as may provc cxpcdicnt and lull within thc scope of thc appcnded claims.

Havingy thus fully dcscribcd mv invent ion what l claim as ncw and dcsirc` to sin uw by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a machine of the class descrii.,cil. the combination with a main trame mounted on vvheelspower .shafts extending along'.t said frame and each divided into front and rear sections with a main section between them. connections between thc two shafts and one pair of driving wheels. a jack .shaft feared to both front sections. clutches confirming thc sections. and manuali).` opcrabhl nwrhu nism for actuating! said clutchrs'. ol a power unit. coinicrlions lit-tween it-i main "im li no1" said power shafts. and means 'or rontroiliini( thc direction and spccd ol' power han mittcd.

2. In a tractor. llic coiuliiliatiou ti-lili :t frame. front and rcnr uhculs indcpcrulcntliv mounted on scparatiaxles therein. and ai; cugino on said frame: ot power .shafts mounted along! both .sides of the frame and driven bvsaid engine. :onncctioni` bctwccn their rcar cnds and said rear wheels. a inch .shaft mounted in hearings across thc front; portion ofsaid frame. gearing uonnecftiiuf its extremities with the power shafts. clutches within the length of the power shafts connecting their front sections with. tl.k ir rear portions. and manually operated mechanism for actuating! said clutches :it will. i

tl. ln :i tractor. thc combination with a frame. front and rear wheels independently mouutcd on separate axles tlicruin, and caterpillar chains connecting thc nhccls at. cach 4sidc of the frame; of an engine on said framc. friction disks on both extremities of its shaft. power shafts mounted in hearings on thc frame and extending pasty said disks, worm and worm wheel connections between their rear cnds and said rear wheels. Fric-Y tion pulleys on said powcr shafts, moans for adjusting the position of said pulleys inde` pcndcntli. a jack shaft mounted in hearings across the front portion of the said frame, gearing;V connecting its extremities with the power shafts. clutches within the length of the power shafts connect mg their front'` sec tions with their roar portions. and manually operated mcrhanis-m for actuating said clutches at will.

4. ln a machin(A of thc class described. the combination with a main traine mounted on titi Si t3 wheels, power elmfts extending along both sides of said fl'znne and each divided into fro T? and rea-r sections with al main section between them, connections between the reni' sections und the rear drivingr wheels,y u juek shaft geared to both front sections, clutches connecting the sections, and manually o e1'- nble mechanism for nctuatin Suid cluteiies; of u power unit at the mi( -length of the ,10 main frame, frictionul gearing between its lnainsihaft and said power shafts, and means for controlling the direction and speed of power transmitted.

In testimony whereof l nll'ix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALFRED NEWTON HAMRICK.

Wlitnesses:

E. W. BARBIN,

M. C. SlssoN. 

